Amazon to open third cashierless store in San Francisco

Expanding its portfolio while reducing the need for human interaction, Amazon will open a third cashierless store in San Francisco this year.

The Seattle-based company will drop a 1,750-square-foot Amazon Go outlet inside 575 Market, located next to the northernmost Montgomery BART Station exit. This will bring the company’s number of checker-free stores to 11.

The two other San Francisco stores are located in the Financial District: the first one, which opened in late October, can be found at 300 California, and the second store, which opened two months later, is at 98 Post.

Amazon Go uses cameras and sensors to keep track of customers and what they’ve selected for purchase. Items then get charged to their Amazon Go account automatically as they exit. An app must be used to enter the store via a series of gates.

In addition to excising the need for human cashiers, the stores also only allow for a certain type of customer—namely, credit card holders with smartphones. People who don’t rely on public benefits for food or groceries, are out of luck for now; Amazon Go doesn’t accept food stamps (also known as EBT cards).

Other than a press release noting “coming soon,” there’s no official word when the Market Street store will open.

The Seattle-based company also owns Whole Foods, eight of which are in San Francisco. A ninth store is planned for sometime in 2021, which, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, will be the largest in the city when it opens in Mid-Market.